Kitchen Party
by Kiwiflea
Summary: Because everything is made better by tiny humans and dance parties. / Established merluca


Because everything is made better by tiny humans and dance parties. In my imagination they're listening to Old Dominion "Make It Sweet," but feel free to substitute your favorite song in its place. Thanks to _IamBeck_, whose GA one-shot "Dance Party" inspired me. I definitely think dance party is a Shepherd family rule.

/

Giggles. The sound floated to Meredith as she pushed open the front door and tried to extract her keys from the sticky lock.

After succeeding, she tossed her keys on the entryway table and set her tote bag on the floor. She shrugged her raincoat off and hung it up, smiling at the four other coats hung up in size order - Ellis's purple platypus raincoat, Bailey's bright yellow slicker (he had recently proclaimed himself too old for kid coats. But she'd also noticed a recent fixation on the Gordon's Fisherman), Zola's bright blue winter jacket, Andrew's leather coat. It made her inordinately happy to see his coat alongside theirs. Just a simple thing, but a little everyday reminder that he was becoming more and more a part of their lives.

Meredith shook her head, smiling to herself, before following the noise. She stopped just short of entering the kitchen and leaned on the wall for a few moments, taking the scene In.

Ellis sat on the counter, a big wooden spoon in her left hand and a mixing bowl sandwiched between her legs. She was stirring something in the bowl. From the clanging the bowl was making, Meredith was pretty sure that something was just air.

Andrew faced the stove, his back to her, stirring their actual dinner. He had mentioned something about coconut. Whatever it was, it smelled fantastic. He occasionally paused his stirring to look back over his shoulder and check on Bailey, who was sitting at a corner of the kitchen table, coloring quietly.

Zola was perched on a bar stool at the counter, a textbook open in front of her. She would occasionally ask Andrew a question, her face contorting in concentration at his answer, before bending her head again to scribble in her notebook. Country music played quietly from the radio.

Meredith slipped into the room, catching its occupants unaware. Andrew was facing the stove again and she slipped her arms around his middle. She leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"Really, Andrew? Country?"

Ellis perked up at the intrusion. "Mama!" She exclaimed. "I'm helping 'Drew make dinner!" Meredith cocked her head and smiled at her, before moving to kiss her on the forehead.

"It smells delicious. You must be a good helper!" She complimented her daughter. She stepped over to the table to where Bailey sat and ran a hand over his hair.

"Mere, you forget that I grew up in rural Wisconsin."

"So that's where all your cheese came from!" She grinned cheekily at Andrew, who swatted her with the towel next to him. A new song came on the radio and Zola's head suddenly popped up from her homework.

"I love this one! Turn it up!"

"He's gotten to you too, Zo?!" Meredith teased her oldest.

"C'mon, _mom_! Dance party!" Meredith couldn't argue with that. Someone called dance party, and you had to honor it, Shepherd family rules.

Andrew wiped his hands on the towel on the counter and threw it over his shoulder. He raised the volume on the radio, the infectious music filling the kitchen. He reached for Ellis, setting her bowl aside, and propped her up on his right hip. One arm holding her up, his other hand grasped her tiny one and brought it in front of his face to use as a microphone. The little girl dissolved into giggles.

Bailey bounced around the island, his head bopping from left to right. Meredith and Zola held hands and swayed back and forth together, Meredith occasionally spinning her. Ellis wiggled to be set down, running over to Bailey to copy her mom and older sister.

Andrew continued his microphone charade, pretending to serenade both older women with the song's bridge. At a break in the lyrics, he looked to Zola, "May I cut in?" She nodded, stepping behind Meredith and pushing her towards him. Andrew wrapped one arm around her waist, grasping her right hand. They began to sway back and forth to the fast paced song.

As the singing kicked back in, Andrew surprised her by dipping her. He did it a couple times, encouraged by the girls laughs and claps. The last time, instead of bringing her upright right away, she found herself parallel to the floor. She smiled up at Andrew, trying to convey her love for this moment, for her family, for him.

The guitar faded and the song ended just a few moments later. Andrew righted her and kissed her on the corner of her mouth before moving back to the stove.

"Okay, who's ready for dinner?" Andrew called out, a chorus of "MEEEE!" answering him.


End file.
